Photo: Purple mountain majesty

Dr. Alan Gross and his dog, Sofie, pause near a patch of purple mountain saxifrage in bloom during their hike along the Perseverance Trail on Tuesday. The plant is one of the earliest bloomers in the spring.

Dr. Alan Gross and his dog, Sofie, pause near a patch of purple mountain saxifrage in bloom during their hike along the Perseverance Trail on Tuesday. The plant is one of the earliest bloomers in the spring.